Comfort Zone

What could be more relaxing than a languid bath after a long, trying day? Well, says the Canadian designer Patrick Messier, it depends on the bathtub. Many tubs—despite their inviting, organic shapes—are surprisingly uncomfortable. “You have this contradiction between the function and what the product communicates,” he says. “The curvature of these baths is so big, and there is no way for you to sit in a neutral position.”

So for his new Be collection, Messier designed an ergonomic bathtub (washbasins are also available) with two different ends, one reclined for lounging, the other with a straighter back for reading. But he didn’t sacrifice pure modern form: with a single ridge down its middle, Be resembles one half of a wal­-nut shell. “It reminds me of when I was a kid playing in my bath with these little walnut sailboats we made with toothpicks and pieces of paper,” Messier says. “You have the link with ecology and with the simple pleasures.” Here he talks in more detail about his design, available through WetStyle in a glossy or matte finish.

Click the photos at right for Messier’s comments on his design.